The 55 story, 2.1 million square foot tower was commissioned by the Bank of America Corporation. It was created with the intent of providing occupants with cleaner air, more light, and more comfort while making the building as energy efficient and sustainable as possible. Henry Miller’s Theatre, a Neo-classical building from 1918, was almost entirely removed to make way for the new tower but portions of it were retained. The intention of building the tower in its location and design was to show the commitment Bank of America has to become a part of the New York community. The tower was not immediately well received. after the proposal for the building was announced in 2003 people were upset that the project would use $650 million in tax-free liberty bonds. Mayor of New York City Michael Bloomberg and the state governor George Pataki responded to the criticism by both publicly supporting the project because of its environmentally-friendly design. It is the first skyscraper in the world to achieve a LEED Platinum rating, the highest rating available within the rating system. After it was completed the tower became the second tallest building in New York City, altering the cityscape. The project also included providing new public amenities: a mid-block pedestrian passage called Anita’s Way and an Urban Garden Room at the corner of Sixth Avenue and 43rd Street. Henry Miller’s Theatre, renamed the Stephen Sondheim Theatre, retained its NYC Landmarked façade while the new theater was rebuilt primarily underground to provide enough space for Bank of America within the tower. The new theater is also geared toward sustainability, achieving a LEED Gold rating. To achieve this, the theater used air filtration systems, carbon dioxide sensors, waterless urinals, FSC certified wood products, recycled materials, local materials, and other various low-emitting materials.

The NYC Department of Buildings does not have any alterations on file.

The site is currently used for commercial and recreational purposes. There are offices and a bank in the tower which are commercial. A theater, which has been incorporated into the building, is located along 43rd street and provides recreational use. A mid-block pedestrian passage called Anita’s Way and an Urban Garden Room at the corner of Sixth Avenue and 43rd Street are also part of the project and would be considered recreational.

It was recently completed so the physical condition of the building remains the same as it was upon completion.

One Bryant Park is a 55 story office building opposite Bryant Park in Midtown Manhattan. 53 elevators are located inside to create easy access to each floor. The tower is surrounded by other office buildings, though it is the tallest building in the area and one of the tallest buildings in Manhattan. It is classified as Late Modern style. It is comprised of traditional materials that are seen in the surrounding buildings but the overall shape of One Bryant Park is an organic crystalline shape, making it stand out from its neighbors. The tower has sculptural surfaces with vertical lines creating visual folds in the glass. These add visual interest and are animated by the movement of light. The office tower replaced much of Henry Miller’s Theatre, renamed the Stephen Sondheim Theatre, preserving only its 43rd Street Neo-Classical façade while the new theater was rebuilt underground. The site of the tower is rectangular measuring 201’-0” along the Avenue of the Americas and 437’-6”’ along W 42nd and 43rd Streets. The area of the site is 87,938 square feet. The main materials used in the tower are a concrete manufactured with slag, steel, aluminum, and glass. The architects considered the glass as a type of “skin” keeping with the more organic, environmental objectives of the building. The key building features are its crystalline shape, its height, and its status as the first office tower to achieve a LEED Platinum rating. It is the first building of its size to achieve this rating from the USGBC. Various green building techniques were integrated into the design to make the building more environmentally friendly. Some of these include: adding slag to the concrete which reduces the amount of material needed for the building and therefore reduces its Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions. a high-performance glass curtain wall creates a modern, sleek aesthetic while providing natural light and views to occupants but still blocking extra heat from entering the building; an under-floor system allows occupants to easily control temperature and air flow from outside; an on-site 4.6 megawatt cogeneration plant provides part of the power for the building; an ice storage system reduces the building’s heat during peak power times; rainwater harvesting and greywater recycling are both part of the building systems to reduce potable water use; and a large portion of the building’s materials come from recycled or local sources within 500 miles of the building site.

2004 - 2009

Numerous technological elements are incorporated into this building to make it more sustainable and achieve a LEED Platinum rating. It is the first building of its size to achieve this rating from the USGBC. Various green building techniques that were implemented include: adding slag to the concrete which reduces the amount of material needed for the building and therefore reduces its Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions. a high-performance glass curtain wall creates a modern, sleek aesthetic while providing natural light and views to occupants but still blocking extra heat from entering the building; an under-floor system allows occupants to easily control temperature and air flow from outside; an on-site 4.6 megawatt cogeneration plant provides part of the power for the building; an ice storage system reduces the building’s heat during peak power times; rainwater harvesting and greywater recycling are both part of the building systems to reduce potable water use; and a large portion of the building’s materials come from recycled or local sources within 500 miles of the building site.

One Bryant Park is now the second tallest building in the city, altering the city skyline. It is uniquely designed and clearly recognizable. It was praised by the New York governor and New York City mayor for its part in keeping New York City clean and enjoyable for everyone, indicating its importance to the surrounding city. Ultimately, One Bryant Park represents what is possible in terms of sustainable building, something that will become increasingly important to the architectural world in the future.

The building is clearly modern with an unornamented glass curtain wall façade. By using similar materials such as glass and steel, it is able to fit in with its surrounding cityscape. Its shape however, is unique. It was created in the shape of a crystal with vertical folds along the glass. these create visual interest and help the building stand out from its surroundings. The crystal shape also reflects a more organic office building, something appropriate for the world’s more sustainable skyscraper.

One Bryant Park is a relatively new building so its contribution to modernity has yet to be determined in terms of style. The project focused primarily on creating a functional space that was environmentally friendly which is a direction that many modern buildings are going today. Therefore, the green building achievements of One Bryant Park could be considered a model for modern structures of similar size and use that will be created in the near future.

Knapp, Margaret and Peter Donhauser. 'Henry Miller Theater: LP-1357'. Landmarks Preservation Commission, 8 Dec. 1987.'Bank of America and The Durst Organization Break Ground on the Bank of America Tower at One Bryant Park in New York City'. PR Newswire, 2 Aug 2004. Web. 8 Feb. 2012.Chatham Capital Advisors. 'Bank of America Tower at One Bryant Park: Transaction Summary'. Chatham Financial, 2010. Web. 14 Feb. 2012. Brown, Bryan. 'Durst Org Announces Henry Miller Theater'. Boneau, 4 May 2009. Web. 8 Feb. 2012. 'Bank of America Tower at One Bryant Park Is First Commercial Skyscraper in U.S. to Achieve LEED Platinum'. Bank of America, 20 May 2010. Web. 8 Feb. 2012.